Penfield was established in Hudson, Massachusetts in 1975, by Harvey Gross. A pioneering figure in the American outerwear industry since the early 1960s. Gross recognized and championed the strength of down insulated outerwear for its unique and unrivalled ability to provide durable warmth and protection.

Requiring a special manufacturing process and with only a few factories in the world expert at producing down insulated apparel, Gross decided to acquire a small manufacturing plant within an old textile mill in Hudson to produce Penfield's high quality down filled garments.